Verizon Wireless embraces Java

Verizon Wireless announced it will support Java technology, a move that represents a major change for a carrier--now the nation's largest--that has long relied on Qualcomm's BREW technology for application development and distribution.

Verizon Wireless chief Lowell McAdam made the announcement at Sun Microsystems' JavaOne conference in San Francisco.

During his relatively brief appearance with Sun CEO Jonathan Schwartz, McAdam said Verizon Wireless has typically taken a closed approach to application development in order to protect its subscribers from unwanted content. However, due to the carrier's newly opened stance toward networks and applications, he said Verizon Wireless will embrace Java technology--and will provide Java developers clear access to Verizon Wireless' network and customers.

"What we've decided to do is open up our network elements," McAdam said, explaining that Java developers would be able to access subscribers' location information, billing services and even their status--thereby potentially allowing Verizon subscribers to check whether select phone numbers were considered "in network" and therefore free to call. "We'll make all that information available to the developer."

Verizon Wireless spokesman Jeffrey Nelson confirmed the carrier would continue to support BREW technology, but that its newfound affection for Java reflects its desire to engage more openly with developers. Nelson said Verizon will publish Java specifications and application programming interfaces (APIs) to developers during a July 28 application developer's conference in Silicon Valley.

Nelson also clarified Verizon Wireless' position on Java--he said the carrier would support the technology in its smartphones and would "look at" adding Java to its feature phones. Verizon Wireless is a major supporter of Research In Motion's BlackBerry devices, which run a Java operating system. Thus, Verizon Wireless' support of Java appears to be in very early stages and does not yet extend to its feature phone lineup.

Verizon Wireless joins Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA and AT&T Mobility in supporting Sun's Java technology in phones. During the company's Java conference, Sun's Schwartz said Java runs in 2.6 billion mobile devices around the world.

For more:
- see Sun's JavaOne website

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